Bhubaneswar: The state government has started the process to make the state ‘beggar-free’, and the first counselling for beggars was held here Wednesday.
The Department of Social Security and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (SSEPD), the nodal body in the state which is executing the programme, held its first counselling of 30 selected beneficiaries from the city and enlightened them about the prospects of getting trained by them, the facilities the government would offer apart from incentives and about the legality involved in begging.
The department along with other stakeholders like the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), the National Career Service Centre for the Differently-Abled (NCSCDA) and Patita Uddhar Samiti (Voluntary organisation) held its counselling session to induct them into skill training after which they would be given incentives to start their own trade or join other employers.
According to the plan, the beneficiaries would undergo trait identification where it would be decided based on backgrounds and preference the field in which they want to get training. After that entrepreneurship and skill training would be provided by NCSCDA on their campus.
After training the government would incentivise them by giving them equipment required to be self-employed or join others. The government is likely to invest `10,000-Rs 12,000 per beneficiary. Block Social Security Officers are likely to be given the task of implementing the plan and monitoring the success of the candidates after they complete training and get government incentives.
“It is a very unique initiative where beneficiaries would be trained by us free of cost at our campus and later they would also get government assistance to become self dependent. We have planned to train them in tailoring, beauty parlour works, AC/fridge repair, hardware repair, mobile phone repair, soap making and other trades,” Ram Kishore Sharma, assistant director of NCSCDA told Orissa POST.
Some other areas of the state like Sambalpur have completed the process from survey to training. About 37 beneficiaries from the district have been selected from the area to be trained and they are now likely to join the workforce soon.
